Beef Free Pesto-Walnut Sheet-Pan Chicken with Broccoli & Carrots
Sheet-pan dinners are a weeknight lifesaver, and this one delivers serious flavor with almost no cleanup. A vibrant walnut pesto — made from scratch with fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon — gets pressed right onto the chicken breasts before they roast, creating a fragrant, slightly golden crust that keeps the meat juicy underneath. Broccoli florets and sweet carrot coins roast alongside until tender and lightly charred at the edges, soaking up all that herby, garlicky goodness from the pan. The whole thing comes together in one oven at 425°F, which means you get caramelized vegetables and perfectly cooked chicken without juggling multiple pots. Because every component here is poultry and produce, this is a naturally beef-free meal that doesn't feel like a compromise — it feels like a choice you'd make even without any dietary restrictions in play. A squeeze of fresh lemon and a handful of torn basil at the end brighten everything up and make it look genuinely restaurant-worthy on the plate.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the walnut pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ½ cup raw walnuts
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the sheet pan
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
- 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 medium head)
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch coins
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For serving
- lemon wedges (optional)
- fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line an 18×13-inch rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
- 2
Make the pesto: combine the basil, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse 6–8 times until coarsely chopped, then stream in the 1/4 cup olive oil with the motor running and process until a thick, slightly chunky paste forms, about 30 seconds.
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